PM firm on airport privatisation

The Prime Minister has agreed to meet the agitating employees of the Airport Authority of India to break the deadlock but the government has made it clear that it would not back down from the privatisation process, veteran marxist leader Jyoti Basu said in Kolkata.

"Following a meeting with the Left leaders this morning, the Prime Minister has agreed to meet the trade union leaders of the striking airport employees," Basu said after the weekly CPI (M) state secretariat meeting this morning.

Basu, who had spoken to left leaders who met the Prime Minister this morning, however, said that government was not willing to withdraw the privatisation process.

The drama of airport privatisation

"The government has said that it would not reverse the privatisation process but can discuss other issues like the absorption of all airport employees," he said.

Basu also indicated that the intensity of the strike at the country's airports might not be the same since the Prime Minister has agreed to discuss the issue with the trade union leaders.

Airport employees across the country launched their nationwide indefinite agitation under the banner of AAI Employees Joint Forum on Wednesday in protest against the government move to modernise New Delhi and Mumbai airports with private participation.

The Left parties had also been opposing the privatisation process and had supported AAI employees in their agitation.